In this June 13, 2015 file photo, Karen Fairchild, left, and Kimberly Schlapman, right, of Little Big Town performs at LP Field at the CMA Music Festival, in Nashville, Tenn.Everyone’s crushing on Little Big Town — including the Country Music Association.
The foursome is nominated for five CMA Awards on Wednesday, including album of the year for their million-selling effort, “Pain Killer,” as well as single of the year for “Girl Crush,” one of the year’s most popular — and semi-controversial — songs.
“We poured so much of our lives into the ‘Painkiller’ record. I know every artist does, so when you are part of those five spots that are honored, it just means so much,” band member Karen Fairchild said in a recent interview.
The group, which includes Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet, is also nominated for music video of the year for “Girl Crush,” musical event of the year for “Smokin’ and Drinkin'” with Miranda Lambert and vocal group of the year, which it has won for the last three years.
“Girl Crush,” which has sold 1.8 million tracks and topped Billboard’s Hot Country songs chart, is about a woman who is obsessed with another woman because she’s with the guy she desires. The song was pulled from some country radio stations because of its lyrics. It opens with the line: “I’ve got a girl crush, hate to admit it but …”